Pond Life by Joni Levine, M.Ed.

Exploring pond life is a great way to learn more about nature and the environment. You can introduce your child to concepts of life cycles by observing frogs. You can begin a discussion about habitat and what different animals eat, too.

Lily-Pond Hop

Here is a cute way to show teach your child a little bit about frogs and help develop his large motor skills as well. If your child is not yet coordinated enough to jump, help him leap or take a big step.

Set up carpet squares or mats in a pattern around the room. Be sure that they are placed close enough together for your child to jump from one to another.

Talk about how frogs live in a pond and jump from lily pad to lily pad. Show your child how to jump like a frog.

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 18–40 months

Duration of activity: 15 minutes

Carpet squares or mats

I Had a Little Turtle

Promote the development of your child's fine motor skills with this cute rhyme.

Teach your child the following rhyme and the corresponding motions:

I had a little turtle

(make fist)

Who lived in a box.

(draw outline of a square in the air)

He swam in the water

(swimming motion with arms)

And he climbed on the rocks.

(climbing motion with arms)

He snapped at a mosquito.

(clap fingers and thumb together on one hand)

He snapped at a flea.

(clap fingers and thumb together on one hand)

He snapped at a minnow

(clap fingers and thumb together on one hand)

And he snapped at me!

(clap fingers and thumb together on one hand)

He caught the mosquito,

(tap finger and thumb together and make chewing noises)

He caught the flea,

(tap finger and thumb together and make chewing noises)

He caught the minnow,

(tap finger and thumb together and make chewing noises)

But he couldn't catch me!

(shake finger back and forth)

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 18–40 months

Duration of activity: 10 minutes

Frog's Dinner

This fun game will help your child learn more about frogs while he develops coordination as well. You can get small plastic insects from a dollar store or a bait and tackle shop.

Attach Velcro to each insect.

Attach Velcro to the end of the party blower.

Show your child how to blow the paper party favor so that it unrolls. Show him how to use this as a frog's tongue to catch the bugs.